Obama: Rice 'will continue to be one of the top members' of national security team

12/13/12 6:46 PM EST

President Obama voiced continued support for Susan Rice on Thursday, even after her withdrawal from consideration to be his next secretary of state.

"She's done an outstanding job. I could not be prouder with her. She will continue to be one of the top members of my national security team," the president said in an interview with KCRA, the NBC affiliate in Sacramento.